Earning extra money for Christmas

Is your Christmas shopping list the length of your arm but your bank balance lacks the money to pay for it?

Don't panic - our thrifty ideas for saving can help you build up that Christmas cash fund quickly and easily...

Creative mums

If you're good at making things or you have skills, why not try and turn it into a business by selling your items to friends? Hundreds of creative mums are already doing this up and down the UK and it's a wonderful way to showcase your talents and make a few extra quid, without any interruptions to your home life.

If you want to start something from scratch, think about what you're good at - baking cakes perhaps? Knitting? Making cards? You can also chat to other self-employed mums in the working for yourself forum.

This is what some other Netmums are doing:

Maggie

I am a work from home mum to a little boy aged 4, but I also have 2 grown up boys. I always worked when the elder 2 were younger but then I could rely on grandparents to help out. I was working part time as an HR Advisor until last February but was made redundant. I really enjoyed being at home and as an avid handmade greeting card maker I decided to set up my own on line shop selling all the supplies that are needed for this fantastic creative hobby.

Rennae

We specialise in soap-making parties for children. Watch them make their own fizzing bath bombs, floating duck soaps and shimmering body glitter. We provide everything, aprons, equipment, ingredients, and even a Bubble Making expert (party host) who will show the children how to make a range of sweet smelling bath and body treats.

Zoe

My name is Zoe and I am a qualified Massage Therapist. I mainly travel to clients homes to provide massage therapy which can help anything from backache, poor circulation, muscle tone or just as a relaxing treat! I am a mum of one boy aged 9 months so I know how nice it is to have time for yourself once in a while.

Advertise your unwanted items

Advertising any unwanted items is a great way to generate cash, as long as it's targeted in the rightway. A good place to start is the Netmums Nearly New Board or why not try your local paper or newsagents window? You don't need hundreds of items to make it worthwhile - a few select items that are in good condition are far more saleable and won't take up too much of your time to advertise.

Try the following tips for a quick sale:

Take a clear photograph that shows the item in its best light

Be honest about the product and its condition. It's much better to be upfront about any flaws than have your buyer on the phone demanding a refund a week later

Make sending the item as easy as possible for you. Big items can be advertised and collected in person by local customers, whilst smaller items can be sent in the post with the buyer paying for delivery in advance.

Nursery items like buggies, prams, cots and highchairs are likely to fetch more through private advertising or local nearly new sales. Auctions can often be a little bit of a let down when you have a price in mind, as they rarely meet your expectations.

Taking in a lodger

If you have a spare room that serves no specific purpose you could consider advertising for a lodger. Charging somebody else to live in your house can be a highly profitable way to generate extra cash, providing you don't find an extra person in the house too much of a burden.Speak to other people you know who have rented out rooms in the past to find out how it works and make sure you're fully clued up on the rules and regulations before you advertise. Here are some other points you should consider:

How much do you want to charge? Will the rent include bills and food or will you expect them to pay extra on top/cook their own meals?

Can you cope with the emotional responsibility of having a new person in the house? Will your children adjust? Having somebody new living in your home can add a whole new dynamic to family living so you must be sure you can all cope with it.

Think about the type of person you want. A professional? Student? Any age limits? Having a set of criteria in mind will help with the selection process.

You'll also need to contact your local authority and register yourself as a landlord. Read more information.

Cashback websites

If you do a lot of online shopping, it pays to get signed up with a cash-back co-operative like Quidco, Topcashback or Rpoints. The service works by transferring affiliate revenue from any shopping you do online which can, after a few months of use, leave you with a tidy little profit. The schemes are connected with thousands of online retailers so you can be pretty sure that there's an accommodating service for whatever you need.

The process is simple - you simply set up an account, scour through the list of retail partners and click through the cashback link to start shopping. Any commission generated is paid directly into your account at the end of each month, though you may have to pay an annual surcharge (usually no more than £5).

Emma

I signed up to quidco in March 2006 and I pretty much use it for all my online purchases. Having three children and living in a remote area so shops are hard to get to - it soon adds up. Just make sure you go to sites through the quidco site to make sure you get your commission and then they just pay my earnings into my bank a couple of times a month. As of November 2012 I have earned £3200 so far and I haven't started shopping for this Christmas yet! I would highly recommend cashback sites.

Cashback credit cards

If you can afford to pay cash for your Christmas items and you are pretty disciplined with your money, you would be canny to consider a cashback credit card like those available from MBNA,AMEX, Egg or Capital One. These work in a similar fashion to store cards where you earn points as you spend, allowing you to redeem them against household goods and holidays or claim cash-back where any money earned will be automatically put back onto your card. You HAVE to pay the balance off in full every month to make these cards work, as their interest rates are much higher than other credit cards.

Claire

I do all my monthly spending on a cashback credit card - from petrol to food shopping, but it becomes extra lucrative around Christmas. My favourite is the Egg Money card as they actually pay you interest if you put it in credit, but I have had a couple of different cards through the years. I would recommend that you set up a direct debit to pay off your balance in full every month - that way you don't even need to worry about that!

For longer term borrowing, it's best to opt for a 0% interest card for purchases or see if it has 0% on balance transfers to move existing debt that's accumulating large rates of interest. (A lot of the cards that have longer deals, now operate a fee for balance tranfers).

Once the festivities are over, you can use our budgeting tips and planner to help you pay off your debts and get back on track.

Ironing/household help

The Christmas season is a busy one for most families so why not advertise locally to see if anyone is in need of household help such as ironing, cleaning or washing? Placing a card in shop windows or a small ad in the local paper will probably generate some interest and once you have a few happy customers, you can build on your business through word of mouth.

"Hi I run a cleaning service called 'cleaning-fairies'. I will do what you hate or what you don't have time to do, so your time can be spent having fun. We are a new company but have lots of energy and are very excited about making your home sparkle."Helen

Holding parties

A great way to stock up on presents and be social at the same time is to host a party. There are loads to choose from - from candles to toiletries and even cards. Find details of how to prepare and host parties in your area.

Nic

A friend of mine had started running cosmetic/toiletry parties and I said I would host a party for her. I put on a light buffet and made some cocktails (and mocktails). We have about 11 of us there and we had a great time. I got a free makeover and was really surprised how many freebies I got (there were lots of offers for the people who came as well). We played some games and had a good laugh. My sister booked a party at my party, which gave me more free gifts and I can't wait to go along to her party in a couple of weeks time.

Running parties

An interesting (and fun) way to make money prior to Christmas is to set yourself up as a franchise. In a nutshell, this allows you to work for yourself by promoting the goods and services of an already established business - taking the time (and headache) out of starting something entirely from scratch.

There are stacks of good business opportunities available - from books and cosmetics to beauty products and underwear that you can promote and sell from home. The company you work for will send you a starter pack with tips to help you set up, plus a selection of free product which you can use at demonstrations (and afterwards as gifts for friends and family!) Though ultimately the success of the business and the amount of money you make is really down to the time and effort you're able to put in.

The following tips can help you get started:

Think about what would sell best in your area and opt for a product that inspires you. It's much easier to market and sell something that you're interested in.

Have a look at your local direct selling page to see what's already being sold in your area and to find ideas for businesses.

Advertise locally, spread the word amongst the mums at school and ask friends to help you get new groups of women together - anything that brings you into contact with new faces (and potential buyers) will help your business succeed.

If you're holding a party at home, buy some wine and nibbles to keep your guests happy - a few games to get them in the party mood can also work wonders!

If you have other friends that sell things, why not suggest a combined event that you can all sell at? If there's three or more of you, you could even consider hiring a local hall or venue for the evening. These are usually very cost-effective, especially if you're expecting around 30 people or more and can split the venue fees between you.